This application claims the priority of 199 54 292.9, filed in Germany, Nov. 11, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a vehicle with a lateral reinforcement located in the vicinity of the lengthwise sill area of the vehicle body.
A passenger compartment for an automobile with a reinforcing tube integrated into a B-pillar is known from German Patent Document DE 196 03 098 A1, with the reinforcing tube extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle and having a projection of limited length in the lengthwise sill.
A goal of the invention is to provide a vehicle with a reinforcement located in the lengthwise sill area of the vehicle body which is made stable in the event of a lateral impact.
This goal is achieved according to the invention by providing a vehicle with a lateral reinforcement located in an area of a lengthwise supporting member of the vehicle body, wherein the reinforcement includes a supporting member extending lengthwise and partially free which extends over an area between wheel boxes of the vehicle and is fastened by holding elements to body pillars of a lateral inside wall of the vehicle, and wherein between a reinforcing inner part and the lower ends of the body pillars of the side inside wall, a supporting block is located opposite the supporting member.
Additional advantageous features are described below.
Principal advantages achieved with the invention consist in the fact that by a lengthwise lateral reinforcement, as for example a supporting member in the form of a tube in the lengthwise sill on each side of a vehicle body is located, a largely secure vehicle passenger compartment is guaranteed especially in a lateral impact.
This is accomplished by the supporting member extending in the lengthwise sill over approximately the entire length between the wheel boxes of the vehicle and being fastenable by holding elements to the body pillars of an internal side part of the vehicle and one supporting block is located between each inner part of the sill and the lower ends of the body pillars of the lateral inner wall, which is located exactly opposite the supporting members in a horizontal plane. The supporting member is preferably located in the remaining sill space between the outer part of the sill and the lateral inside wall.
In one embodiment of the invention the supporting part of each side of the vehicle is located in an indentation in the body pillars of the inner lateral wall and held by the holding elements. In particular, the supporting members can consist of a tubular part and can be partially wrapped to the body pillars by loop holders.
If no tubular element is used, a full material body made of lightweight metal, steel, or plastic is possible with the supporting member consisting of a round tubular body or a polygonal tubular body that can consist of metal foam for example.
The supporting block is provided so that in the event of a lateral impact the supporting element is prevented from immediately penetrating the interior part of the support. The supporting block can have an open or closed profile and can have a concavely outwardly rounded depression corresponding to the indentation, provided at a distance from the rounded indentation. At the same time, the supporting block can serve to absorb energy as well.
To avoid areas resting against one another, the supporting member is located at a distance from the indentation in the lateral inner wall and the supporting block is at a distance from the back of the indentation.
To achieve additional transverse reinforcement of the vehicle body on the supporting members running lengthwise, a seat cross member of the platform is located so that the middle B-pillar is connected with it and at the same time the supporting member is located opposite this transverse support of the seat. As a result, a stiffening of the body structure is created and the force is transmitted to the opposite body side and the transverse stiffness of the vehicle body to lateral impact is increased.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.